Orchard tree covering device

ABSTRACT

An orchard tree covering device is described for use in placing individual covers or strips of cover material over orchard trees to prevent frost damage. The device is adapted to fit on conventional tractors and includes an adjustable elevational support and a cover holding magazine. The magazine is designed to hold a plurality of covers and includes means for selectively releasing individual covers onto trees below. In an alternate form, the covers are connected in strips and rolled onto spools. The strips may then be reeled out by the device over long rows of trees.

nited States atent H Nelson 1 Feb. 12, 1974 ORCHARD TREE COVERING DEVICE[76] Inventor: Roy A. Nelson, 1419 Mahon,

Richland, Wash. 99352 [22] Filed: Aug. 30, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 285,107

[52] US. Cl. 47/21, 214/332 [51] Int. Cl A0lg 13/02 [58] Field of Search47/20, 21, 26, 1

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,395,485 8/1968 Rooklidge47/20 3,228,144 1/1966 Homan 47/1 1,957,994 5/1934 Eccher 47/201,611,271 12/1926 Hammond et a]. 47/21 UX 1,757,276 5/1930 Vaughn 47/21UX Primary ExaminerRobert E. Pulfrey Assistant ExaminerR. T. RaderAttorney, Agent, or Firm--Wel1s, St. John & Roberts [57] ABSTRACT Anorchard tree covering device is described for use in placing individualcovers or strips of cover material over orchard trees to prevent frostdamage. The device is adapted to fit on conventional tractors andincludes an adjustable elevational support and a cover holding magazine.The magazine is designed to hold a plurality of covers and includesmeans for selectively releasing individual covers onto trees below. Inan alternate form, the covers are connected in strips and rolled ontospools. The strips may then be reeled out by the device over long rowsof trees.

4 Claims, 15 Drawing Figures PAIENI FEB r 2 4974 FIG 3 PMENIED FEB] 2I974 FIG 1O 'PMEMEDFEH 12 I914 379L069 sum w UP a ORCHARD TREE COVERINGDEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relatesbasically to the field of fruit growing and more particularly toapparatus for protecting such fruit from frost. Presently the mostfrequently utilized apparatus for protecting fruit trees from frost aresmudge pots or containers for burning oil or other material to create adense cloud of smoke for enveloping whole orchards. This method hasproven effective for preventing frost damage to orchards but airpollution from the smudge creates an additional problem, especially inareas already plagued by pollution from other industries.

It is therefore the primary object of this invention to provide a devicefor effectively preventing frost damage to fruit trees without danger ofair pollution therefrom.

An additional object is to provide an orchard tree covering device thatis reusable and therefore inexpensive to operate.

A further object is to provide such a device that is adapted to bemounted to conventional farm tractors.

A yet further object is to provide such a device that does not harminsects or prevent pollination thereby.

Another object is to provide such a device that may be operated toquickly and efficiently cover orchard trees.

These and other objects and advantages will become evident upon readingthe following description which, taken with the accompanying drawings,describe a preferred andalternate form of the invention.

A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a rear elevational view ofa preferred form of my invention mountedto a tractor;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus illustrated by FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an elevational cross section taken along line 33 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectioned side elevational view taken along line 4-4 in FIG.2;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating an adjustingcomponent of a cover magazine means of my invention;

F IG. 6 is an enlarged view of a cover release mechanism of myinvention;

FIG. 7 is a view similarto FIG. .6 only illustrating a differentoperational position of the release mechanism; I 7

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a single cover;

FIG. 9 is a rear elevational view of a second embodiment of my inventionmounted to a tractor and positioned between two rows of fruit trees;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the apparatusillustrated by FIG. 9 with a lowered position shown by dashed lines;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary side elevational view illustrating the linkageto a power take-off of a tractor;

FIG. 12 is a sectional plan view taken along line 12--12 in FIG. 10;

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary side sectional view taken along line 13-13 inFIG. 9;

FIG. 14 is a fragmentary sectional view of a cover spool and spoolcollar; and

FIG. 15 is a diagrammatic plan view illustrating the operation of theapparatus of the second form of my invention.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED AND ALTERNATE EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTIONReferring now to the drawings, the tree covering device may be seengenerally designated by the reference numeral 10. A preferred form ofdevice 10 is shown by FIGS. 1 thru 8 and an alternate form isillustrated by FIGS. 9 thru 15.

The device illustrated in FIGS. 1 thru 8 is mountable to a conventionalwheel tractor as shown at 11 in FIG. 1 for selectively depositingindividual frost protective covers 12 over trees. The device 10 of thealternate form provides capability for placing a pair of elongatedcovers 14 over a plurality of trees in two adjacent rows.

The covers utilized by the device 10 of the preferred form may best beseen in FIG. 8. As illustrated, the covers constructed of cloth,preferably cotton and are rectangular in configuration having heavymetal rings 5 attached to the corners thereof. A slightly larger ring 6is located at the center of the cover. Rings 5 and 6 are utilized toreleasably support the covers on device 10 and further, when a cover'isplaced over a tree, rings 5 serve to hold the cover edges down againstwind, and the opening through ring 6 provides access for bees or otherpollination assisting insects.

Device 10 of the preferred form generally comprises a magazine means 13for elevationally supporting a vertically oriented stack of covers 12, avertically adjustable means 16 for supporting the magazine 13 and acontrol means 17 for selectively releasing individual covers 12.

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate the adjustable support means 16 as aparallelogram linkage 20 comprising an elongated pair or extendable arms21 pivotably mounted to a tractor 11 by a base 26 at the lower endsthereof. Base section 26 is mounted totractor 11 for pivotal movementabout a vertical axis definedv by a pivot pin 27. Arms 21 are alsopivotable about the horizontal axes of a pair of vertically spaced pivotpins 28 extending through arms 21 and into base 26. Arms 21 are alsospaced slightly apart along the axes ofpins 28 to facilitate movement ofthe arms to a vertical position. Pins 28 allow angular movement of arms2las initiated by a hydraulic cylinder assembly 30.

Cylinder 30 has one end mounted to an upright section 31 of base 26 withthe other end operatively connected to arms 21 by abracket 32. As seenin FIG. 3, bracket'32 mounts the piston shaft end of cylinder 30 betweenarms 21 to further facilitate movement of arms 21 to a verticalposition, and to evenly distribute pulling forces exerted by cylinder 30to both arms 21. Bracket 32 is vertically oriented'between arms 21 andpivotably mounted thereto by a vertically aligned pair of pivot pins 33.The horizontal axes of pins 33 are parallel to the axes defined by pins28 to assure parallel relation between the outer ends and the inner endsof arms 21 regardless of their angular position.

Arms 21 are extendable by means of a pair of telescoping extensions 34which slidably fit within arms 21. This adjusting means comprises analigned row of holes 35 in each extension 34. Length may be adjusted byaligning a selected hole 35 with a complementary hole in arm 21 andplacing an adjusting bolt through both arm 21 and extension 34. Theadjusting means and cylinder 30 facilitate elevational adjustment of themagazine 13 to accommodate trees of varying height.

The upper ends of extensions 34 provide pivotal support for a bracket 36which completes a final link in the parallelogram linkage 20. Bracket 36includes a pair of horizontal pivot pins 37 extending therethrough andconnected to extensions 34. The pivotal axes of pins 37 are parallel topins 28 and 33. g

A horizontal member 38 extends outwardly from bracket 36 to providesupport for the magazine 13 depending therefrom. Member 38 is heldrigidly by bracket 36 and therefore because of the parallelogram linkagewill remain in a horizontal orientation at any given angular position ofarms 21.

Magazine 13 is suspended at the outer end of member 38 by an angularlypivotable core section 41. Core 41 comprising an inner member 51 and anouter member 52, is located at the center of a rectangular magazineframework 40 fixed to outer core member 52 by diagonal support channels39 which support downwardly projecting tubular legs 42. The legs 42 arespaced from core 41 a distance similar to the distance from the centralring 6 to the corner rings of a cover 12. FIG. 1 illustrates a verticalstack of covers 12 supported by legs 42 and core 41. The corner rings 5each fit over a complementary leg section 42 while the center ring 6fits over the core 41. The stack is held in place on core 41 and legs 42by a cover release assembly 60 which will be described in greater detailbelow.

Legs 42 are outwardly extendable for receiving covers of varyingdimension. FIG. 5 shows a typical leg 42 fixed to an extendableadjusting member 43. Each member 43 is slidably held within a diagonalsupport channel 39 and includes a row of spaced apertures through whichan adjusting bolt may be secured when aligned with a complementary holein channel 39. Such adjustment facilitates use of different size covers12 as dictated by the size of the fruit trees to be covered.

Magazine 13 is angularly movable adjacent the end of member 38 about thehorizontal axis of a shaft 44 extending through member 38 and an innermember 51 of core 41. Member 51 is rigidly fixed to the shaft 44 whichin turn is pivotably held by member 38. A sprocket 45 is fixed to shaft44 and is engaged by a length of chain 46 (FIG. 4). The ends of chain 46are attached to the piston shafts of a pair of hydraulic cylinders 47.Both cylinders 47 are held within member 38 by pins 48 extendingtherethrough. Cylinders 47 are connected to a source of hydraulicpressure (supplied by tractor 11) in such a manner that they willoperate simultaneously but oppositely. Thus if one cylinder is activatedto extend, the other will simultaneously retract. Such movement rotatessprocket 45 and thereby the magazine 13 between the operative positionshown in solid lines in FIG. 4 and a loading position partially shown bydashed lines. At the loading position, core 41 and legs 42 extendupwardly to aid in loading of covers 12 on the magazine 13.

The elevation of magazine 13 may be more easily controlled by a cylinderassembly 50 located within core 41. One end of cylinder 50 is fixed toinner core member 51 and the other end is fixed to the outer core member52. Outer member 52 slidably fits over member 51 so that extension ofcylinder 50 will telescope member 52 and magazine 13 away from support38. This movement facilitates minor elevational adjustments of magazine13 without necessitating readjustment of arms 21.

The release mechanism 60 previously mentioned may be seen in detail inFIGS. 6 and 7. The mechanism is mounted within the lower end of theouter core member 52. Basically, release mechanism 60 comprises a toggleescapement linkage 61 operated by a solenoid 62 of control means 17 toselectively release one cover 12 at a time. Linkage 61 includes anopposed pair of T shaped links 63 pivotably held at the intersection oftheir leg sections 64 and cross member 65 by pins 66 extending throughto outer core member 52. The leg sections 64 of links 63 converge alongcommon longitudinal slots 67. Both slots 67 are engaged by a slide pin68 held at the end of the solenoid plunger. A pivot pin 70 extendsthrough each end of cross member 65 to pivotably connect the inside endsof an upper and lower pair of escapement bars 71,72. Vertically spacedopenings 73 are formed in core member 52 to slidably receive and guidethe movement of bars 71, 72 in response to activation of solenoid 62. Atension spring 74 is connected between slide pin 68 and core member 52to normally bias the toggle linkage toward the position illustrated inFIG. 6. In this position, the top escapement bars 71 are withdrawn intocore member 52 and the lower bars 72 are extended to support the stackof covers 12 by the central ring 6 of the bottom cover 12. To release acover, an operator may activate a switch (not shown) to retract theplunger of solenoid 62. As the plunger retracts the upper and lowerescapement bars 71, 72 simultaneously extend and retract respectively.The support of the stack is thereby transferred to the upper bars 71 asthey are extended while the lower bars 72 retract to release the bottomcover of the stack by removing support of its center ring 6. Deactivation of solenoid 62 then allows the plunger to extend again to theposition shown in FIG. 6. During this movement, the upper bars 61 areretracted as the lower bars 72 are extended, thereby transferringsupport of the stack of .covers back to the lower bars 72.

To operate device 10, the tractor driver may maneuver tractor 11 toposition the device 10 adjacent a selected tree. He may then raise orlower the magazine 13 according to the tree height by selectivelyactivating cylinder 50 to extend or retract through a conventionalcontrol switch (not shown). Once the magazine is located directly abovethe tree, the operator may release a single cover over the tree byactivating solenoid 62 through a conventional electrical switch (alsonot shown). The tractor may then be maneuverrd to position the magazineover the next selected tree.

Reference will now be made to the alternate form of my invention asillustrated by FIGS. 9 thru 15.

In this particular embodiment, a continuous strip of frost protectivecovering 14 may be placed over a row of trees by magazine 13 in the formof a spool mechanism shown generally at 80. The frost protective strips(FIG. 15) are made up of a plurality of lengths of cover material 81that are fastened end to end and rolled onto a spool or magazine 82. Thelongitudinal side edges and end strips include weights 83 fastened tothe cover material to hold the sides and ends thereof down over thetrees. A plurality of holes 84 are longitudinally spaced along thestrips for access to the trees below by pollination assisting insectssuch as bees.

The strips are selectively reeled out or in by operation of the device10 which, in this embodiment includes a substantially T shaped framework85 mounted at the rear of a tractor 1 1. The cross member 86 of theframe supports two spools 82, one on either side of a leg section 87which is mounted at the lower end thereof to tractor 11 (FIG. 9). Legsection 87 includes a pivotal hydraulic cylinder support assembly 88 andan extendable spool driveshaft 90.

Cylinder assembly 88 comprises the vertical adjusting means 16 of thisembodiment which rotatably supports cross member 86 at its upper end andis mounted to tractor 11 at its lower end for movement about thehorizontal axis of a pivot 91. Cylinder 88 may be selectively activatedto extend or retract to raise or lower the spools to the positions shownin FIG. 10. A cable 92 assists cylinder 88 to raise and lower the spoolsby providing a fixed radius connection extending from the outer end of afirst stationary strut member 93 extending from yoke 89 to a fixed pivotconnection 94 on tractor 1 1 (FIG. forward of and elevationally lowerthan pivot 91. With such a connection, if cylinder 88 is extended, cable92 is forced to pivot upwardly thereby lifting the cylinder and spools.Likewise, if cylinder 88 is retracted, cable 92 will pivot downwardlylowering the cylinder and spools. The lowered position, illustrated indashed lines in FIG. 10 facilitates loading and unloading of spools 82onto cross member 86.

The spools 82 are shaped substantially like thread spools, each havingcircular plates 95 fixed at the ends of an elongated magazine tube. Thetube includes a central bore extending from end to end of a diametersufficient to allow the spool to slidably move over an elongatedtransverse mounting bar 96 of cross member 86. Each spool also includesa keyway (FIG. 14) adjacent an inside end 97 for receiving a key 98.Keys 98 are affixed to spool drive collars 100 which are operativelyconnected to the power take-off 101 of tractor 1 1.

FIG. 11 partially illustrates power take-off 101 which is usually astandard item on such tractors and used for supplying power to variousfarm implements or other tractor accessories. In this embodiment, thepower take-off 101 is utilized to rotate spools 82 and thereby let outor take up the rolls of frost protective covering 81. The control means17 of this embodiment comprises a mechanism utilized for selectivelytransferring rotational movement of the power take-off drive shaft 103to rotational movement of spools 82 includes a universal driveconnection 104, extendable drive shaft 90, and a work drive assembly105. 7

Universal drive connection 104 basically comprises a conventionalflexible gear turret 106 adapted to mount an input shaft 107 thereof tothe power take-off output shaft 103 (FIG. 11). Rotational movement ofshaft 103 is transferred through connection 104 to power the extendabledrive shaft 90 by means of a bevel gear assembly comprising an inputgear 108, an idler gear 109 and an output gear 110. Input gear 108 isconnected by conventional means to power take off output shaft 103.Idler gear 109 is mounted for free rotational movement about thehorizontal axis of an axle member 111. Axle 111 is rotatably held by auniversal connector housing 112 which, in turn, is affixed to thetractor. Idler 109 is held in meshing engagement with both input gear108 and output gear 110 to transfer rotational movement of the powertake-off to the extendable shaft 90 afiixed thereto. Output gear 110 isrotatably held by a U shaped bracket 113 mounted for free rotationalmovement on axle member 111. This facilitates free pivotal movement ofoutput gear 110 and the attached extendable shaft about the axis of axle111. A pivot stop plate 114 is mounted as an integral part of cylinderassembly 88 adjacent pivot 91 to stop pivotal movement of the device 10before output gear is pivoted into engagement with input gear 108.

Extendable shaft 90 as shown in cross section in FIG. 12 includes anouter tubular member 118 and an inner telescoping member 120. Outermember 118 presents an inwardly protruding key 119 which fits into acomplementary longitudinal slot in inner member 120. Key 119 and thecomplementary slot allow longitudinal extension of shaft 90 whilepreventing rotation of outer member 118 relative to inner member 120.

The upper end of shaft 90 includes a work 121 mounted thereon foroperative engagement with a worm wheel 122 (FIG. 13). Wheel 122 isrotatably mounted on the mounting bar 96 of cross member 86 betweenspools 82. The spool drive collars 100 described above are affixed toworm wheel 122 for rotation therewith to drive the spools 82 either totake up or let out the strips of frost protective cover material 82.Wonn 121 and worm wheel 122 are held within a protective housing 123which also serves to hold worm 121 in engagement with worm wheel 122.

Spools 82 are held against drive collars 100 by a pair of guy cables 125each extending from a second stationary strut member 126 of yoke 89outwardly to a slidable support collar 127 at each end of spool mountingbar 96. Collars 127 each include two angularly spaced projecting ears128, 130 (FIG. 10 and 14) extending radially outward from the mountingbar 96 a distance slightly greater than the radius of the adjacent spoolend plate 95. Cables 125 are releasably connected at the outer ends ofears 128 to provide clearance for spools 82. When collars 127 are inplace on bar 96, the tension of cables 125 between strut 12 6 and thecollars serves both to hold the spools against drive collars 100 and tosupport the outer ends of spools 82 when elevated as shown in FIG. 9. Aturnbuckle 131 is provided on each cable 125 to allow adjustment ofcable tension.

A second pair of cables 132 extend from the first strut member 93outwardly to ears 130 for support of the spools when in a loweredloading position as shown in dashed lines in FIG. 10. Cables 132 alsoinclude a pair of tension adjusting'turnbuckles 134.

To remove spools 82 from the device, the operator simply lowers thespools to the loading position, releases tension on cables 132 and 125and slides collar supports 127 off the ends of support bar 96. Thespools presently mounted on the device may then be removed by pullingthem outwardly over bar 96.

To reload spools onto the device, the spool bores adjacent inside ends97 of spools 82 are first placed over the outer ends of bar 96. Thespools 82 may then be pushed inwardly onto bar 96 until the inside endsengage drive collars 100 with the keys 98 and complementary spoolkeyways aligned.

As may be seen in FIG. 15, two adjacent rows of trees may besimultaneously covered by a continuous covering of material 81 as thetractor moves along between the rows. Successive strips of material fromdifferent spools may be joined together end to end by zippers or otherfastening means to insure a continuous covering of complete rows. Byloading empty spools 82 on the device, connecting the ends of twoadjacent strips of material 81 to the spools, and driving forwardlytoward the free ends of the strips, the operator may roll the materialback onto the spools.

It may be obvious from the above descripiton that various changes andmodifications may be made therein without departing from the intendedspirit and scope of my invention. Therefore, only the following claimsare to be taken as definitions of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. An apparatus for covering orchard trees with covers, each coverhaving a central ring and a plurality of spaced peripheral rings, saidapparatus comprising:

a magazine for receiving and storing a stack of covers;

said magazine having a central elongated core to coaxially receive thecenter rings thereon and a plurality of elongated peripheral legscorresponding to the spaced peripheral rings to coaxially receive theperipheral rings thereon;

vertically adjustable means operatively connected to the magazine forsupporting the magazine above the trees in an inverted orientation sothat said central core and peripheral legs extend downwardly; and

control means operatively connected to the magazine for selectivelyoperating the magazine to release the covers one at a time from themagazine onto the trees.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the magazine includes arelesase mechanism means mounted on a central core and operativelyconnected to the control means for holding the stack of covers on themagazine when the magazine is inverted and for releasing the covers oneat a time in response to the control means to drop the cover onto thetrees.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein the release mechanismmeans includes a toggle escapement linkage means pivotally mountedwithin the central core for releasably engaging the lowermost centralring when the magazine is inverted to releasably hold the lowermostcover in the magazine, said control means being operatively connected tothe toggle escapement linkage means to selectively pivot the toggleescapement linkage means.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the vertically adjustablemeans includes a lifting means for raising the magazine from groundlevel to an elevation above the trees.

1. An apparatus for covering orchard trees with covers, each coverhaving a central ring and a plurality of spaced peripheral rings, saidapparatus comprising: a magazine for receiving and storing a stack ofcovers; said magazine having a central elongated core to coaxiallyreceive the center rings thereon and a plurality of elongated peripherallegs corresponding to the spaced peripheral rings to coaxially receivethe peripheral rings thereon; vertically adjustable means operativelyconnected to the magazine for supporting the magazine above the trees inan inverted orientation so that said central core and peripheral legsextend downwardly; and control means operatively connected to themagazine for selectively operating the magazine to release the coversone at a time from the magazine onto the trees.
 2. The apparatus asdefined in claim 1 wherein the magazine includes a relesase mechanismmeans mounted on a central core and operatively connected to the controlmeans for holding the stack of covers on the magazine when the magazineis inverted and for releasing the covers one at a time in response tothe control means to drop the cover onto the trees.
 3. The apparatus asdefined in claim 2 wherein the release mechanism means includes a toggleescapement linkage means pivotally mounted within the central core forreleasably engaging the lowermost central ring when the magazine isinverted to releasably hold the lowermost cover in the magazine, saidcontrol means being operatively connected to the toggle escapementlinkage means to selectively pivot the toggle escapement linkage means.4. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the vertically adjustablemeans includes a lifting means for raising the magazine from groundlevel to an elevation above the trees.